Breaking Interrogation
by Love2readaway
Summary: "Castle!" she screamed. His eyes darted to the two-way mirror. —You can never know what's gonna happen during an Interrogation.— TWO-PARTER STORY.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This has been in my head for months and I've been wanting to write it down just as long. I really, really, _really_ hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe, though they have found their own way into my heart.**

* * *

It was seven thirty. She'd set the alarm at minimum volume so he wouldn't wake up when it went off. As gently as she could, she got out of bed and padded silently into the bathroom. She'd showered the night before, so she just needed to get dressed, brush her teeth, and she quickly did her hair and applied some make-up. When she was done, she tiptoed across the bedroom to the door that opened directly into the living room. Her hand closed around the handle and pushed down.

"Where are you going?"

She startled at the sound of Castle's voice, her heart skipping a beat. She sighed and turned to face him with a bold look on her face and holding a defiant posture. Sitting up on the bed, Castle leaned against the headboard and folded his arms across his bare chest. He didn't look happy at all. She squared her shoulders, determined to win this round, and took a couple of steps towards him.

"I'm going to the precinct," she answered confident.

"No, you're not," he said in a cold harsh tone.

"Yes. I. Am." She turned and started towards the door again.

"Kate," he warned, raising his voice.

"Rick, I'm fine! I said this would be my last case and I will keep my promise!"

Castle leaned forward on his thighs. "You weren't fine yesterday! You have been-" But she didn't hear him out as she spun around and exited the bedroom. "Dammit Kate, wait!" he called after her, jumping off the bed and getting his legs tangled in the sheets in the process. He ran to catch up with her but by the time he was out in the living room, the front door was closing behind her. He got out into the hallway and saw her standing a few feet away waiting for the elevator. "Don't get on that elevator!" he ordered, holding a finger up and a deep frown creasing his brow.

"You are going to tell me what I can and cannot do?" she growled. "You think I would go to work if I wasn't feeling OK? I can't just sit still doing nothing!" she yelled. The elevator doors slid open and she stepped in.

"Beckett," he hissed between clenched teeth, "get back inside or I swear-"

"What? You'll drag me back in yourself?" she snapped, her hand pressing the lobby button.

"Yes!" he shouted and hurried to her, but the doors shut before he could stop them. "Dammit woman!" he slammed his fist into the closed doors and strode back inside the loft. Getting his phone, he called Esposito.

The detective answered on the second ring, "Hey, Castle! What's up?"

"Kate just left the loft. She should be at the precinct in 20 minutes."

"I thought she'd be staying home today," Espo said surprised.

"I thought so too, but you know her, she's a stubborn thickhead," he groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Could you keep an eye on her until I get there?"

"Sure thing, man."

"Thanks. I'll be there in half an hour," he said, turning the shower faucet.

"Alright, see ya!"

Castle quickly showered and got dressed. Fifteen minutes later, having gotten everything he needed, he headed out the door.

* * *

"Hi guys," she said as she walked into the bull pen.

"You're supposed to be resting," Ryan told her without greeting her. The two detectives were staring at her with identical disapproving furrowed brows and she scowled back at them. Then Ryan added, "You've been having contractions since yesterday."

She said, "Castle called, didn't he?" Their expressions gave them away. "Yeah, of course he did… Well they're just Braxton Hicks contractions. _I'm fine_," she punctuated the last two words. They were about to say something else but she silenced them with a threatening glare. Ryan sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets, and Esposito threw his palms up in the air in surrender. "Did the arrest warrant arrive?" she asked and sat down in her chair.

"Three minutes ago. We were waiting 'till you got here," Esposito informed, holding up a manila envelope.

"Alright. Bring me that son of a bitch so I can squeeze a confession out of him, and then go home and make _all of you men_ happy." They nodded, grabbed their jackets from their chairs and started towards the elevator. As they walked past her, Esposito slowed down and turned to her, hesitating. "I'll be fine. I'm in a building packed with cops," she reassured them and waved them off. "Now, go!"

* * *

Beckett hadn't had any contractions since three in the morning. She felt the baby move inside her, kicking her under the ribs, and she gently rubbed a hand over her tummy. While waiting for the boys to get back, she ate breakfast and had a cup of tea, caffeine being banned due to her pregnancy.

She stopped reading the suspect's rap sheet when she sensed a big figure hovering over her from behind.

"The boys are making the arrest now," she said in a monotone voice without looking up at Castle. "I'll have him confess and then you can take me home."

"Can we talk?" he asked coldly. She swiveled her chair and raised her gaze to his face, waiting. "Privately?" he added.

Kate surveyed the bull pen and shrugged. "There is no one else around."

"Fine," Castle mumbled and sat down in his chair beside her desk, throwing his jacket over the back. He rested his arms on his knees and took a deep, calming breath before looking her in the eye. "Kate…, this is not healthy," he murmured. She was about to interrupt him but he shot her a silencing stare. "You're 37 weeks pregnant. You should be resting. I'm worrying sick all the time," his voice was pleading.

He may be right but she needed to catch this guy. He'd killed five women and she was going to make sure he was put away behind bars for life.

"I just told you. We are arresting the guy and closing the case today."

"It doesn't matter!" Castle hissed through clenched teeth, trying to keep his voice down while leaning forward closer to her. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white. "You should have stopped _weeks _ago!"

"There are lots of pregnant women who work until their 38th week!" she argued.

"Yes, but they're not cops! You are surrounded by stress all the time. That's not good for neither of you," he said, putting a hand on her swollen belly.

"You're the one who stresses me!" she muttered under her breath. "Just let me-"

"Yo Beckett!"

Her head snapped up and she saw the boys walking down the corridor, leading the suspect in handcuffs to the Interrogation Room. She rose from her chair, picked up the file from her desk and moved off to follow them. Castle caught up with her outside the door to Interrogation 1 and took hold of her wrist.

"Kate, please," he whispered gravely, all anger and frustration gone. The other two detectives stood waiting behind her.

"Esposito, you're in with me," she said without taking her eyes off Castle, and then she spoke to him in a quiet, strained voice. "If you want to stay, you can watch from Observation with Ryan." And with that she entered the room where the suspect was waiting. Esposito mouthed a 'sorry man' before getting in after her and closing the door.

* * *

Castle leaned against the table inside the Observation Room and watched through the two-way mirror as Kate forced the suspect into a confession. The guy didn't look like he would break any time soon. He kept his cuffed hands on the table, his fingers drumming on the surface and his gaze fixed on a dead-spot above Kate's head.

"How you holding up?" Ryan asked quietly.

Castle exhaled a long puff of air before answering. "She drives me completely insane," he groaned. "The last couple of weeks she's been impossible." He paused for a second, then continued, "She's so picky. And she complains about _everything_. '_Your hands are too hot, your feet are too cold, you breathe too loud'…_" he mimicked her. Both their gazes flicked up to the glass when they heard Beckett slam her hand down hard on the table. The suspect flinched at her ferocity. "She's mad at me all the time. According to her, everything I do, I do wrong. Whether it's for doing too much or not doing something." Castle sighed. "I'm glad it's almost over, because I'm telling you… pregnant Beckett? Not pretty."

"She's strong-minded," Ryan sympathized with him. "I hope with Jenny it doesn't get so-"

"Castle!" Beckett screamed. As his eyes darted to the two-way mirror, Castle saw her groan and bend over, both her hands clutching her swollen stomach. He ran out of the OB room and, kicking the door open to Interrogation, he stormed in and crouched in front of her.

"Kate, what's wrong?" he whispered with urgency. Esposito and Ryan took the suspect out of the small room. Sitting on the edge of the chair, she panted and breathed through clenched teeth. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and lowered his head so he could see her face. Her eyes were clamped shut and her face was contorted in pain.

"This is…not nor-mal…" she muttered, her voice so strangled he almost didn't make out the words.

"Kate, what is it?" Castle asked, trying to stay focused and not panic. He gently placed his hand on her womb; it felt hard under his palm. "Is it a contraction? Are you in pain?"

The boys got back, followed by the Captain. "What's going on here?" he heard Gates enquire.

Kate tilted up her head. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Castle gasped. "Oh god... Guys, we need an ambulance!" he yelled over his shoulder. Gates pushed her way in and knelt beside Castle, asking what was wrong. "Kate honey, we're going to the hospital." Castle caressed Beckett's cheek, wiping away the tears. "You're going to be okay."

"Castle," Ryan intervened, "we can get you there faster with one of our cars."

Castle glanced at Gates and she nodded. "I'll call to let them know you're on your way."

Esposito hurried to get the car.

"Can you walk?" Castle asked Kate. She shook her head once, so he slid his arms under her legs and around her back and lifted her carefully off the chair. She shut her eyes, pressing her face into the crook of his shoulder, and one of her hands fisted into the fabric of his shirt. He carried her across the bull pen, a dozen people murmuring and staring at them with confused and shocked looks on their faces. Ryan was holding the elevator doors open and they stepped in.

"Castle," she breathed out on the ride down, "I'm scared. The baby-"

"Ssh, you're going to be OK. Both of you," he promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

They reached the lobby and Ryan went ahead to open the entrance door for them. Esposito had brought the unmarked car over to the curb in front of the station and Ryan helped Castle get Kate into the backseat. The detective rode shot gun, and Castle circled the rear of the car and slid into the backseat next to her. Esposito turned the sirens and gumball on and floored it.

Beckett's legs were up on the bench and Castle turned to her on his seat so she could lean her back against his chest. Taking short, shallow breaths to control the pain, she found his hand and held it tight. He gently pushed her head back until it rested against his shoulder. Castle kept whispering comfort words in her ear as he pressed his palm to her forehead, brushing back the sweaty hair from her face.

"Hang in there Beckett," Esposito said in a strained tone as he sped the car, weaving through the morning traffic and dodging vehicles. "We'll be there in three minutes."

"I'm so-rry Castle," she sobbed. "I'm sorry I ye-" she took in a sharp breath and closed her eyes, then continued, "-I yelled at you."

He shushed her and pressed his lips to her temple. "You're going to be fine."

* * *

There was a man and a woman in scrubs waiting for them outside the emergency entrance when they arrived at Bellevue Hospital. They got her out of the car, laid her on a stretcher and rushed her inside the building. Too many things were happening around her, too many people talking and dashing about, so she focused on the hand she was still holding tight. Someone removed her pants and a resident examined her while an intern made an ultrasound. A third person wrapped a belt around her belly to monitor the baby's heartbeat.

"Is that blood?" she heard Castle exclaim alarmed. "Is she bleeding?!"

"What?!" she gasped and tried to peer around her big tummy.

The man in scrubs, the one who had examined her and seemed to be the one in charge, addressed them, "You've suffered a placental abruption. The placenta has half-detached from the wall of the uterus. The baby's heartbeat is a bit low, so we need to perform an emergency C-section."

_Detached placenta? A C-section? Low heartbeat? No, no, NO. This could not be happening._ Her vision clouded but she fought to stay conscious and in control as they rolled her to a Pre-op room. Castle never left her side as they prepared her for surgery and put an IV in her arm.

"You stay with me Castle," Kate's voice trembled. "He can stay with me, right?" she asked a nurse standing next to her. The woman nodded and handed Castle a set of scrubs.

A minute later she was brought into the operating room and put under anesthesia. Castle sat next to her head, holding her hand as she drifted into sleep.

"I love you," she mumbled, her eyelids falling over her eyes.

"I love you too," he whispered in her ear.

The last thing she felt was his lips on hers.

-TO BE CONTINUED-

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**Thank you so much for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe, though they have found their own way into my heart.**

* * *

Her eyelids closed over her scared hazel eyes and they didn't open again. Her hand lost the grip on his fingers, but he didn't let go of her. He brought their laced hands to his face and pressed the back of hers to his lips, and held it there. Her voice, screaming his name, still pierced his ears, echoing in the memory engraved on his mind, tormenting him. His mind spiraled around a question he had no answer for. _Why? Why them? Why their baby? Why ending a life before it has had a chance to start?_

He shook his head trying to get that awful image out of his head. Closing his eyes for a second, he took in a deep shaky breath to calm himself. He couldn't bare the notion that a scalpel was about to cut into her stomach. The only thing he dared to watch was her sleeping face. He tried to fade out the doctors and nurses in the room, their masked faces, their short dialogues, requests and orders, the noises of the surgical instruments against the metal tray. It wasn't that hard; his heartbeat thrummed in his ears, covering almost every sound, masking everything else that was happening around him.

He felt so helpless, there wasn't anything he could do but stay with her, keep his promise to her, and stay by her side. He kept his eyes fixed on her, he concentrated on studying the face he knew better than anything else, both of his hands holding her cold one against his cheek, keeping it warm, and trying to keep his breathing even…

…

And then, after what seemed like hours later… someone said, "The baby's out."

And finally… the tears he didn't even know he'd been holding back, overflowed.

* * *

She'd been deep asleep but she felt herself waking up, slowly. It took her a few minutes to come out of her slumber, but once she was aware, the first sense that came back to her was her hearing. She could distinguish the soft murmur of an electrical… _something_. There was the distant sound of people talking, voices coming and fading away, though they were too far for her to make out any words. A door closed somewhere.

It took her another minute to find her eyelids, but when she did, she didn't open them, not yet. Her limbs felt a bit heavy, her muscles were numb. She noticed she wasn't lying flat on her back, but half sitting, half reclining on a mattress. Then, came the feel of rough sheets around her. The smell of… _hospital? Why was she in a hospital?_

It all rushed back into her mind, her head filling with overwhelming memories of pain and dreadful fear. _Her baby! _She blinked her eyes open to a white ceiling and a pale creamy wall. The room was dimly lit, the curtains half-drawn.

"Hey," he whispered softly and she turned her face toward his voice. When their gazes met, he smiled.

"Hey," she murmured, her voice a bit husky and her throat dry. His smile widened. Her eyes travelled a few inches down, and her heart started beating hard inside her chest. There…, in his arms, wrapped in a white soft blanket was… He was holding…

"There's someone here that wants to meet you," he said, his voice a soft whisper. Rising from the chair, he took a step closer, 'till his hip touched the bed, and he gently placed the sleeping baby in her arms.

She couldn't believe her eyes. He was so, so _beautiful_… And he was hers. She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his forehead. Closing her eyes, she breathed him in and a smile spread on her face. A couple of tears spilled from her closed eyelids and ran down her cheeks.

"Hey… love," she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion as she looked at his small round face. The baby stirred at the sound of her voice but didn't wake. She kissed him again and took one of his small hands in hers, looking at his tiny pink wrinkled fingers.

Castle sat on the edge of the bed beside her waist and she shifted her gaze to him. "Is he-" she started asking.

"He's perfect," he answered before she could phrase the question. "A bit tiny, but he's tough and strong…, just like his mom." She grinned, and then he added, "We were lucky." A shadow crossed his face for a split second, his jaw slightly quivered and his eyes got lost in some recent memory he was probably going to live with for the rest of his life. "We got to the hospital very quickly," he continued, looking at her again, "and they got him out before anything serious could happen to him." Castle lightly brushed his hand over the baby's head, covered with feathery light brown hair, and the corners of his mouth twitched up again. He let out a sigh of relief. "His heart is fine and his lungs work perfectly."

Their eyes drifted back to the newborn, attracted and mesmerized by the little creature that was theirs. He made little noises with every breath he took, and his lips moved and puckered as if he was sucking on something.

Castle reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He rested the palm of his hand against her neck, his thumb brushing over the dark rim under her eye. "How are you feeling?" he murmured.

"I'm OK," she said looking up at him briefly, not being able to part her eyes from the baby in her arms, an invisible pull tugging her to him. "I'm perfect," she grinned sweetly.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead. She then tilted up her head and he kissed her twice on the mouth. Pulling back, he fixed his gaze on her face as she stared at their son. Not two hours ago he'd had the scare of his life. He'd been completely terrified. When he'd seen her buckle over, when he saw her eyes filled with pain, and especially when he'd seen her bleeding… For just a second, the thought he might lose them both had crossed his mind. It had been the longest hour he had ever experienced in his entire life, from the minute she screamed his name and had bent over her stomach, to the moment the doctors pulled the baby out of her and he let out a cry, letting the world know he was alive and breathing.

Her soft voice brought him back. "He has your nose," she chuckled once.

"He has your eyes," he murmured.

Her gaze flicked up to his. "Really?" she said, admiration written all over her face.

"Really... Gorgeous green hazel eyes," he smiled at her astonished look. "I guess his name kind of suits him well then," he chuckled.

"Yes," she whispered. She paused for a moment and then she asked, "What time is it?"

He checked his watch. "It's almost eleven… Why?"

"When can we go home?"

He shook his head and laughed under his breath. _Of course she wanted to leave_.

"_You_ are going to stay here for, at least, another two days," he said and she frowned and pouted her lips, disappointed. "The doctor said if everything is okay, you'll be discharged Wednesday morning." He placed his hand on her cheek again and she leaned into it and sighed. "If you're good, I'll try to push it to tomorrow evening." She mouthed a silent '_Thank you_'.

A minute later she said, "Did you call anyone? My dad, Alexis-"

"They're all here," he answered. Her eyes opened wide. "Your father, my mother and Alexis. They went downstairs to the cafeteria. Already called the precinct too to let them know everything was fine. The boys and Lanie will come over later."

"Wow," she sighed. "Who would have told me this morning that-"

"I know," he said. The baby chose that moment to wake. He stretched his arms, pouting his lips, and then he whimpered.

"What's wrong?" she asked, slightly concerned.

"I think he's hungry," he gave her a meaningful look.

"Right," she nodded, understanding. She started to reach back with her free hand, but she had an IV tube stuck into her right arm, and she was holding the baby with the other.

"You want me to call a nurse?" he asked, slightly amused by her hesitance.

"No, I think I can manage… But if you could undo-" she pointed toward the back of her neck.

He stood up, reached behind her and loosened the strings of the hospital gown she was wearing. She shifted the weeping baby and Castle helped her pull her left arm out of the sleeve. Switching the newborn back to her left side, he soon found her breast and took her nipple into his mouth. She gasped and shivered lightly. It was the strangest feeling she had ever experienced.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered.

"Uh… No, not really." She paused and the added," It's just… _weird_."

"Bad weird or good weird?"

"Good weird. Definitely good weird… And kind of, uh…" She tried to find the appropriate word for it. _Pleasant? Comforting?_ "…_relaxing?_"

She put her right hand near the baby's mouth and gently pressed down on her breast, near the baby's nose, to give him more room to breathe easily.

Castle draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "You're a natural," he murmured near her ear, a hint of wonder and admiration in his tone. She rested her head on the crook of his shoulder and kept staring down at the baby.

Warmth spread inside her as she watched the newborn, his lids closed over his eyes, drinking from her breast, and the truth slowly sank into her. _She had a son. She was a mother._ And what she felt for him, _already_, went beyond anything she couldn't even have dared to imagine in her wildest dreams. An indescribable swirl of emotions danced inside her heart, coursed through her veins. There were not enough words to express and define what kind of bond she felt between her son and herself. Devotion… Pure, irrational and unconditional love.

* * *

The baby had fallen asleep again in her arms. A soft knock broke the silence in the room. The door opened slowly and Alexis poked her head inside.

"She's awake," Kate heard her murmur excited to the others waiting behind her in the hallway. She peeked around the door again and said, "Can we come in?"

"Of course," Kate answered, her voice just above a whisper. Alexis, followed by Martha and her father, stepped into the room. When her gaze met with her father's, a wide smile spread on his face. She grinned back and felt tears pool in her eyes. She blamed the hormones…, mostly. He came to stand next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her an awkward hug, not wanting to crush the baby in her arms. Pulling back, he kept his arm around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She heard Castle snap a couple of pictures with his smartphone.

"I'm so proud of you honey," Jim murmured close to her ear. "Congratulations."

"Thanks dad," she said, kissing his cheek. "You're a granddad!" She smiled, looking into his eyes, gleaming with unshed happy tears.

"My first grandson," he said, gazing down at the sleeping newborn. "He's gorgeous, Katie."

"You want to hold him?"

"Oh no, it's okay, honey. I held him before. He looks so peaceful… You keep him," he told her with a small grin.

"How are you feeling darling?" Martha asked, lightly squeezing her ankle through the hospital sheets.

"Oh, I'm fine, thank you." Her eyes met Castle's and he smiled.

Alexis was tucked under his arm and whispering something to him under her breath. When she noticed Kate looking at her, she exclaimed with a big smile, "So?" She was almost bouncing on her feet from the excitement as she let go of her father and wrapped her hands around the railing at the foot of the bed, her big blue eyes fixed on Kate's face. "What's his name?"

"You didn't tell them?" Kate looked surprised at Castle.

"Wanted to wait for you," he shrugged.

"Well, guys…" Three pairs of eyes were gazing expectantly at her. She smiled and said, "Meet Oliver James-Alexander Castle."

- THE END -

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**Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it :)**


	3. Outtakes

**A/N: ****I wrote this back when I wrote the second chapter, but couldn't really find a way for it to fit in properly with the story. Some of you asked for a bit more so, I thought, why not adding an extra chapter with_ The deleted scenes?_ :)**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe, though they have found their own way into my heart.**

* * *

_Deleted scenes_

* * *

The sound of Lanie's voice woke her. She opened her eyes and noticed that at least half a dozen new flower bouquets had joined the already full table near the window. To her left, three feet away, Lanie was perched, along with the boys, over the hospital bassinet, cooing at the baby. An '_It's a boy'_ blue balloon floated behind their heads.

"Don't crowd him," she murmured, her voice deep with sleep. All three of them turned and smiled when they saw she was awake.

"Hey sweetie," Lanie said.

"Hey mom! About time you woke up," Ryan grinned. "It's not that much fun when you come for a newborn visit and find everyone asleep."

"He's cute and all, but he doesn't talk that much, you know?" Esposito smirked.

"Where's Castle?" But just as she asked she saw him stretched on the small couch, his head dangling over the armrest, and snoring softly. Both boys approached the bed and gave her a kiss on the cheek, murmuring a 'Congratulations'.

Lanie sat on the edge of the bed, next to her waist. "How are you sweetie?"

"I'm OK…, just tired." She took in a deep breath. "It's been a long day."

"You really scared us boss," Ryan said, his smile faltering for just a second as he remembered the frightening events of that morning. Kate felt her heart make a leap as she imagined how it could have ended if something had gone really wrong. Her gaze fell immediately on the bassinet and the newborn inside.

"But everything is fine now," Lanie said in a firm tone, scowling at the boys for their lack of sensitivity and, at the same time, squeezing Beckett's hand reassuringly.

The boys turned their heads from Lanie's fierce gaze and fixed their eyes back on the baby.

"Hey girl, come on!" Lanie held Kate's hand in both of hers and smiled. "Away with that sad face! He's here and he's fine," she reassured Kate.

"Yeah, you're right," she sighed and shook her head, a small grin spreading on her lips again. "It's just the hormones."

Lanie leaned in with a smug on her face. "You wanna see something funny?" Kate quirked her brow intrigued and expectant, one corner of her lips tugging up. "Watch this," Lanie whispered under her breath. "Hey, Javier?" she called, standing up and taking one step closer to Esposito.

"Mmm?" His head tilted to the side but he didn't really look at Lanie. She then ran her hand up his arm and that finally got his attention; he turned his body to her.

"When are _we_ gonna make one of _these_?" she said, gesturing with her head toward the baby, pouting and flapping her eyelashes, and staring wistfully up at him.

"_W- what?" he _stuttered, his voice raising an octave. Kate started shaking with quiet laughter.

"_Oh come on!_" Lanie pressed herself to him and stroked the exposed skin of his chest with one finger. "I want one," she purred from under her eyelashes. Espo's gaze flicked from her face to the finger teasing his collar bone, and back again. He looked totally shocked. His mouth opened but no sound came out. Kate couldn't take it anymore and laughed out loud, Lanie and Ryan joining her a second later.

"Ow," Kate winced, still chuckling and with tears in her eyes. "Stop it Lanie. The stitches pull."

"_OH!_ That was _not_ funny!" Esposito exclaimed, frowning and looking from Lanie to Ryan, who were still roaring with laughter.

"Hey! There are people trying to sleep here," Castle mumbled, stretching his arms over his head.

That comment triggered a second wave of laughter to erupt and even Esposito joined them. Castle sat upright and rubbed his eyes as he yawned. Suddenly the baby started crying, probably from all the loud noises the grown ups were making, and everyone fell silent at once. Castle walked over to the newborn, picked him up in his arms and he became quiet in an instant. They all watched for a minute as Castle gently rocked the baby, getting him back to sleep.

Kate saw the longing look on Lanie's face and said, "Lane, you want to hold him?"

Before she could answer, Castle was already placing the newborn in her arms. "There you go," he said softly. "Watch his head."

Lanie's smile threatened to split her face in two. "Hey there Ollie," she cooed sweetly.

"Looks good on you Lanie," Castle mentioned, and then turned his gaze to Esposito. "Espo, maybe you should-"

"Hey, hey! That's enough," he said altered, cutting off Castle.

"What?" he said, completely ignorant of what had taken place just a few minutes ago. Lanie and Ryan started chuckling softly.

"If someone needs pressure, that'd be him," Esposito blurted out while pointing a finger at Ryan, and every gaze set on his face. The detective's smile faded, his eyes opened wide and he blushed. "He and Jenny have been married for over two years now," Espo added, trying to get the ball off his court. Ryan looked all nervous and flustered, his cheeks burning red. His eyes moved from one face to the other, not knowing where to hide himself. "Wait a minute," Esposito said wary. Ryan's scared eyes fixed on his best friend's. "Are you…? Is Jenny… _pregnant_?" Esposito finished with a breathless exclamation.

Every gaze settled intently on Ryan's face and they all noticed when the detective's eyes started shimmering with the smile he was trying to conceal.

All of a sudden it was all a choir of '_Oh my god'_ exclamations and incredulous smiles as Ryan revealed his secret.

"Man!" Esposito grinned and Ryan's smile widened.

"How far is she?" Kate asked curious.

"Three months," Ryan answered blissfully and unable to wipe the big smile off his face.

"Why didn't you say something before?" Lanie said in a high pitched voice, which caused the baby to startle and stir. She quickly stroked his cheek soothingly.

"You know… we wanted to wait to make sure everything was fine," Ryan looked from one smiling face to another, "and I didn't want to steal your thunder guys," he said to Beckett and Castle. "Today should be just about Oliver."

"Man!" Esposito breathed out again, still amazed, and Ryan chuckled. Suddenly Espo pulled his friend into a bear hug and they patted each other's back. A moment later they pulled apart.

"Well Javier," Castle started. "If Kate and I just had a baby and Kevin and Jenny are expecting…, that probably means you and La-"

"Oh…, he-y, hey," Esposito chuckled nervously. "Come here man," he added, trying to shut up Castle as he pulled both men in a male hug again…

* * *

_Two days later…_

"Are you OK?" Castle asked her, for the hundredth time since they had left the hospital, as they stepped out of the elevator and walked to the loft's front door. She was carrying the baby in her arms while he balanced the bags, the flowers and balloons, and the baby's car seat while trying to get the key in the lock.

"I'm fine… Just open up so we can get inside," she answered with a long puff of air.

He finally got the key into the hole and, unlocking, he pushed the door open. Dropping everything to the floor, he flicked on the lights and stepped aside so Kate could come in. When she took a couple of steps into the room her eyes found blue balloons everywhere, and hanging from the glass dome in the middle of the living room was a huge banner that said _'Welcome Home Oliver'_.

"_Oh my god_," she laughed softly. "Who did this?"

"Wow!" he exclaimed, coming to stand next to her and looking up at the big sign. "I have no idea," he chuckled. "I haven't been home in two days." He put an arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side, and placed a kiss on top of her head. "Are you hungry? You want something to eat?"

"Nah.. I'm actually tired. I think I'm gonna take a nap." She suddenly realized something. They hadn't expected the baby to be born so soon, and so, the nursery wasn't finished and they didn't have a place for their son to sleep. "Castle," she said, the distress evident in her voice, "Where is he going to sleep? The nursery isn't finished and we didn't get a bassinet-"

"Sssh, don't worry… It's alright honey." He spun her around and nudged her to start moving towards their bedroom. He opened the door and walked in after her. And as she stepped into the room she saw it. In the corner, near her side of the bed and hanging from the ceiling, was a light creamy color and oval shaped bassinet with a soft fabric white canopy.

"Oh my god," she said breathless, looking briefly up at him. "I love it, it's perfect!" she smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you!"

"You should thank your dad," he murmured near her ear, and her surprised gaze flicked back to his.

"My dad?"

"Yeah… he offered to help. He bought the bassinet and came yesterday to hang it," he told her with a grin, and then added. "Come on, lay him down."

She crossed the room, Castle following right behind her. She shifted the sleeping baby in her arms and gently laid him down on his back on the soft mattress inside the cradle. He stirred for a moment, moving his arms to either side of his head and his hands loosely closing into fists.

"Perfect," Castle murmured as he draped a thin blanket over the newborn. He bent down, kissed the baby's forehead and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Oliver."

* * *

******I hope you enjoyed it half as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks you guys! :)**


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